Political Econ of Ch Labor its Impacts on Internl Business - SL Bachman July 2000

30 Business Economics • July 2000 The Political Economy of Child Labor and Its Impacts on International Business
C
hildren have worked for as long as families
have needed all hands to pitch in.
Beyond
defining work as a means of survival, however, defining...
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30 Business Economics • July 2000 The Political Economy of Child Labor and Its Impacts on International Business
C
hildren have worked for as long as families
have needed all hands to pitch in.
Beyond
defining work as a means of survival, however, defining what work is appropriate for children and what (if anything) to do about inappropriate work involves more complex judgments—especially for firms doing business in the global economy.
The International Labor Organization estimates that
around the world 250 million children between the ages of
five and fourteen work, about 120 million of them fulltime.
1 Some of these children work in factories and other
workplaces in the formal economy, but the vast majority
work in informal enterprises, agriculture and in homes.
International firms are part of this economy not only if they
hire children, but also if they buy goods or services from
children or from companies that make such purchases.
International business has come under increased
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